Elizabeth Maconchy was an Irish-English composer of classical music.

She was
born in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire 19 of March of 1907 and grew up in England
and Ireland. Her family moved to Ireland in 1917 and Elizabeth began her musical
studies in Dublin, studying piano, harmony and counterpoint. In 1923 she moved
to London to study at the Royal College of Music. At the end, she completed her
studies in Prague.
Her first public recognition was her Piano Concert in 1939, conducted by her
teacher there, Karel Jirak.
In 1930 Elizabeth married William LeFanu with whom had 2 daughters, Elizabeth
Anna LeFanu and Nicola LeFanu. In 1932 she developed tuberculosis and moved
from London to Kent with her family. But in 1939 she returned to Ireland when
she composed her Fifth String Quartet and gave birth to a daughter.
In 1959 she was elected Chair of the Composers Guild of Great Britain and also
she was President of the Society for the Promotion of New Music.
She died in Norwich, England in 11 of November of 1994.
Elizabeth is considered to be one of the finest British composers. Her work has
been compared to Bartok and also Beethoven and Mozart. She produced over
200 amazing works.
Her cycle of 13 string quartets, composed between 1932 and 1983, is considered
as the peak of her musical achievements. She also wrote 3 one-act operas for
voice.
Once Elizabeth said «For me the best music is an impassioned argument»